Megan's transformation during the last two years has been amazing thanks to the STAR 4 Pre-K Counts Program Easton.

Megan M. is a Northampton County Shining Star

Our oldest daughter Megan entered the Keystone STAR 4 Family YMCA Pre-K Counts Program Easton at the age of 3. She participates in the PA Pre-K Counts program and wrap-around child care. Her transformation during the last two years has been amazing. She is an outgoing happy child who likes art, reading and loves to ask questions. She has blossomed in the program thanks to the dedicated teachers who patiently worked with her every step of the way. She loves learning letters and letter sounds, which is something that she has been exposed to everyday in her four year old classroom. She loves to share with her friends which is encouraged every week with show and share activities and circle time. Each teacher and staff member gets to know the students very well. They learn about the family, the siblings, the home environment which helps the students to feel comfortable sharing with teachers and learning from the teachers. Megan is excited to learn and excited to come home and share the new exciting things that she has learned. She loves the hands on experiments like making a bird feeder, growing plants from seeds, soaking eggs in soda to illustrate the dangers of soda on your teeth, etc. These lessons hit home because the kids are amazed to actually watch the changes, not just read about them. At the end of the day the teachers ask children to recall some important and exciting events from the day. Then the teachers write sentences on the board that the children dictate. Megan loves this part of the day because she learns to recognize words and sound out words. The children have centers throughout the classroom where they can choose to do art projects, color, read, and play.

Megan loves to do art projects and brings a cubby full of projects home nearly every day. They are encouraged to be creative in many different mediums which is very exciting to me. The teachers are always finding new ways to encourage creativity which is especially exciting to Megan. I am confident that she is much more prepared for Kindergarten than she would have ever been without the Pre K Counts and Keystone STARS program. You could not find better quality early childhood education if you tried. We are very blessed as a family to have been accepted into the program and look forward to nominating Megan's younger siblings as shining stars (in future years), thanks to Pre K Counts and Keystone STARS.